Martin O’Brien

Last week we welcomed 28 Community and Youth Work students from Maynooth University. SCI's Director, Martin O'Brien, was delighted to meet them and talk about working for social change and the current situation in Belfast.

🤝 Delighted to see our partners @sci-belfast.bsky.social using findings from our work on the World Values Survey to engage community leaders in Northern Ireland in conversations on attitudes, values and how to tackle division in the country

➡️ www.socialchangeinitiative.com/values-lesso...

Maynooth looking pretty special this week. Some stunning trees.

To learn more take a look at the Constitutionalism Funds website

constitutionalismfund.co.za

Great to be back again in South Africa to mark 10 years of the Constitutionalism Fund an initiative of @atlantic, @FordFoundation & @OpenSociety. $29m of grant awards made to advance the realisation of the rights provided for in the South African Constitution

Great to see former @sci-belfast.bsky.social intern Allison Tate being included among this prestigious group of young leaders.

YouTube video by DRM News Former Irish President Delivers Keynote Address at UN Conference on Israel-Palestine | AQ1G

Powerful speech from Mary Robinson on the “unconscionable” situation in Gaza. youtu.be/DIvzIEP-OUg

Irish lawyer quits European rights body over silence on Gaza Ireland's long-standing representative on a Council of Europe human rights body has resigned over its failure to speak out on Gaza. Human rights lawyer Michael Farrell has been a member of the Europea...

Irish lawyer, Michael Farrell, quits Council of Europe rights body over silence on Gaza | Irish Legal News

www.irishlegal.com/articles/iri...

Important job opportunity here to lead one of Ireland’s most effective change making organisations. Well worth a look.

Hanny was in Belfast for an SCI Board meeting, and we’re delighted he made time to share his insights and expertise on the current situation in Syria with some of our local network of changemakers.

This morning, we welcomed guests for a briefing on the situation in Syria with Hanny Megally, member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria and SCI Board member.

Important piece here. Worth a read.

Council of Europe rejects political pressure on ECHR in Meloni reply Council of Europe Secretary Alain Berset defends the independence of the European Court of Human Rights, emphasizing the importance of preserving its impartiality amid ongoing debates on migration. #E...

Council of Europe rejects political pressure from nine states on European Court of Human Rights

www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...

Might be worth noting that this recommendation to place an exceptional non-jury court on a permanent footing was made by four members of a six-member review group with two members dissenting. Minority report available here: oasareview.ie/wp-content/upl…

Powerful letter. Long past time for the government to act.

Delighted to see this really important work by Dermot Devlin @mywayaccess.bsky.social supported by @BrianPelan from @VIEWdigital. Hope it leads to some much needed change.

Great news. So well deserved.

A digital graphic design promoting the Black Activist Leadership Initiative by the Social Change Initiative. The image features the SCI logo in the top centre, the centre of the image showcases a bold black raised fist symbol, a widely recognised sign of resistance and solidarity. At the bottom, a yellow banner spans the width of the image, displaying the words 'BLACK ACTIVIST LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE' in bold, uppercase, black letters.

Communities in Northern Ireland are becoming more diverse, with residents bringing new cultures and lived experiences that go beyond the traditional. At SCI, we see this as an exciting opportunity to build new, inclusive forms of activism. (1/3)

Important new report. Well worth a read.

Stunning sky tonight in #MalinHead. Tory Island in the distance.

Somebody’s enjoying a stunning day in #Donegal

IHREC on how the state is treating migrants Niall Collins, Minister of State at the Department of Justice; Claire Kerrane, Sinn Féin TD for Roscommon–Galway; Peadar Tóibín, Aontú leader; Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Right...

Great interview from Liam Herrick Chief Commissioner of @ihrec.bsky.social on Ireland's legal obligations to asylum seekers.
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

“Authoritarianism is not limited to the US but part of a global trend. Lessons from other countries can provide valuable insights for the US context.” Cultivating solidarity and hope in a fractured world A conversation following the US election

In December 2024, @deepaiyer.bsky.social and @bulldogshadow.bsky.social explored the impact of the US election on democracy and human rights worldwide in an online conversation hosted by SCI.

This takeaway is just one of many. Read more 👉 www.socialchangeinitiative.com/cultivating-...

Image shows pictures of all Participatory Journalism Fellows. TOP from left to right: Brian Pelan, Elton Sibanda, Clodagh Traynor, Harry Bateman. BOTTOM from left to right: Tommy Greene, Martin Ward, Colm Teague, Claire Dickson.

Our Participatory Journalism Fellowship supports independent storytellers who are highlighting underrepresented voices and shedding light on overlooked issues. They explore a range of social, economic, and political topics, offering diverse perspectives on key challenges.

SCI's team sitting with the Participatory Journalism fellows sitting around a large, white conference table in a professional meeting room. Some are taking notes, while others are listening attentively. A SCI banner is visible in the background, along with a large window allowing natural light into the room. Laptops, documents, and coffee cups are scattered across the table.

Today, we’re hosting our Participatory Journalism fellows for a day of sharing, learning, and collaboration. They will be able to present their work, exchange ideas, and support each other in shaping their stories.

To learn more about our journalism fellows and their projects, visit 👉 socialchangeinitiative.com/team.

@brianone.bsky.social @shaunacorr.bsky.social @mobrienbelfast.bsky.social

Photo by NICVA - Dr. Nazia Latif speaking from a podium at the conference.

Image shows the event invitation. 'You are invited to Building Solidarity: Understanding the Political and Societal Context of Racist Violence in Northern Ireland'

Delighted to be supporting this important Community Foundation NI conference on Building Solidarity & Tackling Racism with NICVA & Africa House.

Improved legislation & measures to tackle racism are needed & important but we must also focus on moving beyond “emotional solidarity” to deliver more “practical & strategic solidarity” with people of colour - says Dr Nazia Latif @CFNIreland Building Solidarity conference

Join Our Team We are hiring an Administrator & Events Coordinator. For full job details, visit: socialchangeinitiative.com/vacancies

We are hiring an Administrator & Events Coordinator.

For full job details, visit 👉http://socialchangeinitiative.com/vacancies

Take a look at this new useful report from @pivotalppf.bsky.social on the work of the Northern Ireland Government. Great assessment of the progress made since restoration & the areas where action is still very much needed.